Team India middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer heaped praise on Virat Kohli after the team’s win over New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series. After the Shubman Gill-led team’s four-wicket victory, Shreyas said that it is hard to add anything new about Virat because of his consistent performances.
Virat Kohli scored 93 runs while chasing a target of 301 in Vadodara on Sunday, January 11. He built a strong 118-run partnership with captain Shubman Gill and later added 77 runs with Iyer. The 37-year-old looked set for his 54th ODI century but mistimed a shot, and Michael Bracewell completed the catch.
Virat Kohli Creates History
Virat Kohli needed 25 runs to complete 28,000 international runs and achieved it in the 13th over of India’s chase. He became the fastest cricketer to reach the mark, doing so in 624 innings, which is 20 innings fewer than Sachin Tendulkar, who previously held the record.
Kohli also became only the third player in history to cross 28,000 international runs. Tendulkar had reached the landmark in 644 innings, while Kumar Sangakkara took 666 innings.
Later in the innings, when Kohli moved to 42, he went past Sangakkara’s tally of 28,016 runs to climb to second place on the all-time list of international run-scorers. Sangakkara scored 28,016 runs in 666 innings at an average of 46.77, with 153 half-centuries and 63 centuries.
Tendulkar remains at the top of the list with 34,357 international runs. During his international career from 1989 to 2013, he scored those runs in 782 innings at an average of 48.52, including 164 fifties and a record 100 centuries.
Whatever We Talk About His Innings – Shreyas Iyer On Virat Kohli
In a video shared by the BCCI, Shreyas Iyer said that it is hard to describe Virat Kohli’s impact because he has been doing it for so many years. Iyer stated that Kohli’s consistency, strike rotation, and ability to take on bowlers stand out, adding that he truly backs his words with action.
“Whatever we talk about his innings, it would be less,” Iyer said in a video shared by the BCCI. “We’ve been seeing it for so many years now. He’s been doing it consistently. The way he rotates the strike, he takes on the bowler — he basically walks the talk.”
“It was a great start to the series,” Iyer said. “Coming back after a while feels special. I missed being in the dressing room and sharing moments with everyone. I’m just happy to be back.”
Iyer made a strong return in his comeback match after recovering from a spleen injury suffered during last year’s tour of Australia. The newly appointed vice-captain scored 49 runs off 47 balls and played a key role in rebuilding the innings.
He’s On A Different Level – Kyle Jamieson On Virat Kohli
New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson dismissed Virat Kohli in the match. Jamieson finished with strong figures of 4 for 41 but admitted after the game that Kohli had already shaped the contest in India’s favor. Jamieson said that Kohli controlled the middle overs.
“He controlled the tempo through the middle and set the innings up for his team,” Jamieson said. “You don’t really contain the greats — they have their way.”
“He’s on a different level. Every time you play against him, you’ve got to be at your absolute best just to compete.”
Also read: Virat Kohli kicks aside Rohit Sharma to reclaim World No.1 ODI batter ranking
